A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Oregon in collaboration with SUNY Upstate Medical University has shown that “catching up” on sleep at weekends may play an important protective role for the mental health of adolescents and young adults.

According to the findings, participants aged 16 to 24 who compensated for sleep loss on weekends had a 41% lower risk of experiencing depressive symptoms compared with those who did not.

The study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, highlights the close relationship between sleep patterns and mental health during adolescence—a period when sleep problems are especially common and vulnerability to depression is increased. At the same time, this age group has rarely been the focus of research on “compensatory” weekend sleep.

The authors emphasize that the ideal scenario remains regular sleep lasting eight to ten hours every night. However, in real life this is often difficult to achieve because of school demands, social activities, extracurriculars, and part-time jobs. Under such conditions, the opportunity to sleep longer on weekends may partially offset the negative effects of chronic sleep deprivation.

The study was based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 2021–2023. Participants reported their bedtimes and wake-up times on weekdays and weekends, allowing researchers to calculate the difference between them. Depressive symptoms were recorded if respondents reported feeling depressed or sad on a daily basis.

The researchers also note that during adolescence, circadian rhythms naturally shift: most teenagers find it harder to fall asleep early and are biologically inclined toward later sleep schedules. Combined with early school start times, this creates a persistent sleep deficit. Given that depression remains one of the leading causes of impaired daily functioning among people aged 16 to 24, even simple measures—such as allowing more sleep on weekends—may have a meaningful impact on prevention.